


Presence

by magickmoons



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s14e18 Absence, Ficlet, Fights, Friendship, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 15:08:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18478750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magickmoons/pseuds/magickmoons
Summary: Cas and Dean finally talk after the events ofAbsence.





	Presence

**Author's Note:**

> This is a quick little ficlet, just to get the idea out of my head. Not beta'd, barely re-read.

Castiel stood in front of Dean's door.

It had been days since Mary's death, days since Jack had disappeared, days since Dean had spoken to him. Although he wasn't speaking much in general, he would at least acknowledge Sam whenever he ventured out of his room. But Castiel got nothing other than an incomprehensible look and a chilly silence. At least he hadn't kicked him out of the bunker. Yet.

Castiel had bowed to Sam's advice to just leave Dean alone and give him time to work through it, at first, but the waiting had gotten to be too much. Whatever Dean was going to do to him, whatever he needed to say to him, Castiel would rather have it over with.

He knocked.

Silence.

He knocked again. "Dean, it's me."

More silence.

He leaned his head against the door wearily and waited. Finally, Dean called, "It's open."

Dean was lying on his bed with his headphones on. His eyes were rimmed red and he looked  ... worn, Cas finally decided as he studied him. He looked worn down and worn out. He didn't say anything as Cas stood halfway between the door and the bed.

"Dean, I ... "

Sorry was so inadequate a word, did not even begin to convey his anguish at the role he had played in Mary's death.

He took a deep breath. "I'm leaving."

Dean tossed the headphones aside and sat up instantly.

"You're what?" His voice was cold, eyes narrowed and piercing through Castiel.

"I'm leaving. I'm obviously making things worse by being here, reminding you of --"

Dean sneered at him. "That's right. Just run away."

Cas threw his arms out. "I don't know what you want me to do! I can never begin to make up for what I did. I have no idea how to apologize. You are just so angry at me and I don't know how to make it better!"

Dean was on his feet, striding toward Cas. "Damn right, I'm angry at you, Cas. But no angrier than I am at myself, or Sam or Jack. We all wanted it -- wanted our family so bad that we took the risk." He shook his head. "You were just the first to admit it.

"So, yeah, we all fucked up. But you don't get to just run away. We're all that's left of this family. You don't abandon your family. We need you."

Dean's eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, his whole body quivering with tension.

"I need you."

Their eyes locked and Cas caught a moment of undisguised need and grief on Dean's face before he spun on his heel, facing away from Castiel.

The music from the headphones was the only sound in the room.

Cas tentatively reached out and clasped Dean's shoulder, feeling him tense for a moment before relaxing beneath his hand.

"Then I'll stay."

Dean nodded brusquely but didn't otherwise move. After a moment, Cas patted his shoulder and left Dean to his thoughts. He heard Dean settle back onto his bed as he closed the door.

He would stay.

For family.

**Author's Note:**

> also posted to [my tumblr](http://magickmoons.tumblr.com/)


End file.
